A Voice in the Dark
by TheArcherInTheDark
Summary: When the Dark Lord sets out to kill a little boy, a boy he believes one day might destroy him, he does not expect to have to face the possibility of embracing an enemy.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, the world and characters belong to the amazing J. K. Rowling.

**WARNINGS:** Dark theme, torture, violence

**Prologue**

His steps were silent as he entered the village. He slowly walked toward the house he could now both see and sense. Light was shining through the windows, they hadn't gone to bed yet. This would've been more quiet had they been asleep, but oh well. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy a struggle, feeble as it may be.

He slowly opened the gate and stepped toward the front door. It would've been amusing to knock and have them open it, only to see the enemy on the other side. But that's not how he did things. So he simply raised his wand and shot a spell so powerful it blasted the wood to splinters and shredded any wards guarding the entrance. From inside he could hear Potter yelling to the woman to take the boy and run, that he would hold off the Dark Lord. He wanted to laugh at the man's stupidity.

He stepped through the doorway and saw Potter standing there, wand raised and with a defiant look on his face. Potter cast a spell easily avoided before being struck right in the chest by the Dark Lord's killing curse. Without taking a second look at the fallen body the Dark Lord walked up the stairs and approached the room where he could sense the frightened woman. He blasted the door open and heard her scream "Not Harry, please not Harry!" But her pleas meant nothing. His killing curse hit her and she fell to the floor, as dead as the man downstairs.

The boy was sitting in a crib in the corner of the room. Strangely, he had not started screaming or crying when his mother had been killed. The Dark Lord approached the crib and looked down at the boy. Finally the prophecy would be fulfilled, the only one who would ever be able to defy him would be dead.

He looked down at the boy, at his surprisingly green eyes. He raised his wand and spoke the words.

"Avada Kedavra."

What followed next he would never be able to describe. An explosion of green light and a pain so strong he, the Dark Lord, prayed he would die (or at least pass out) just to escape. But neither happened. Instead it continued. His veins were filled with liquid fire, his bones were being broken, crushed, his organs were being twisted, ripped, turned inside out and his head felt like nails piercing the skull, fire pushing against it from the inside, all while burning, twisting and breaking. It went on until he couldn't take it anymore and then it kept going. When he though he would finally go mad it stopped. Just like that. His body ached from the pain and what he had done to get rid of it.

He slowly got to his feet and looked around. The roof had been ripped off the house and outside it was still dark. The pain hadn't lasted as long as it had seemed. The night wasn't over, someone would've noticed the house being torn to pieces.

Then, he remembered the boy. Slowly, he turned. There was the boy, still in the crib. He was lying down, eyes closed. The Dark Lord assumed the boy had died, until he noticed a small shift in the boy's tiny body. He stepped closer and saw the small shift yet again. The boy was _breathing._ How in all the worlds could that be possible? The curse the Dark Lord had cast shouldn't have left anyone alive, let alone a one year old boy. But there he was, breathing, like nothing had happened.

How could a baby have survived that, when it felt like he barely had? He looked down in the crib when the boy turned over and saw a lightning cut on his forehead. And the Dark Lord realised what had happened. He had to admit, he was fairly impressed by the boy's mudblood mother, she had performed an ancient, tricky and powerful bit of magic to protect her son. He couldn't be sure the protection wasn't still on the boy, so trying the curse again was out of the question.

Suddenly, the boy's green eyes blinked open and looked up at him. And a thought that would change his life crossed the Dark Lord's mind. An old saying. _"Keep your friends close, your enemies closer."_


	2. Chapter 2

**See disclaimer in chapter in chapter 1**

**Chapter 1**

Growing up in the House of Gaunt was as you could expect, Harry thought as he walked through the halls of his Father's huge manor. It was lonely, cold and a bit distant. He had grown up to learn the man he considered a father had killed his real parents, but found it didn't matter that much. For his Father had also explained what he was trying to do, why he was fighting. And after all, he hadn't known his parents, so he couldn't miss them. As for blaming his Father for taking away his home… Well he had everything he would've had in a "real" home. The House of Gaunt had become his home, and the Dark Lord had become his parent.

Harry walked through the third floor hallway toward the grand staircase. Tonight was the night. The first branding of the next generation and the bigger circle of the Death Eaters would find out about him. Up until now he had been a secret kept from them all, with the exception of a trusted few. But when he had come of age two weeks ago his Father decided Harry was to be present, standing by his side tonight and watch the ceremony. The idea was for Harry to just be there and make the Death Eaters wonder about him. Harry was rather excited. He was expecting a lot of doubt from the Death Eaters and was almost hoping to get a chance to duel at least one go them. In his Father's line of business, someone wasn't trusted before he or she could prove their worth. And tonight was his first chance.

He had arrived outside the ball room, the only room suitable for this amount of people. He could feel the cold, dark power always surrounding his Father even out here, and shivered in pleasure. He opened the door and stepped inside. Every eye in the room turned in his direction. He simply stared back as he moved to stand beside his Father at the front of the room. He could hear a low intake of breath going around the room, "Who is this kid who dares stand at the right hand of the Dark Lord?" Oh how Harry was enjoying this moment. He could sense his Father's satisfaction at seeing the shocked faces of his Eaters. Harry had to stop his lips from tugging up into a smirk.

Then his Father raised his hands and everyone fell silent.

"Welcome my dear friends." His voice was cold and didn't go at all well with his words. "As you know we have gathered here today to witness the branding of the first one from the next generation. He has been most eager to join and now the time has finally come." the Dark Lord said, purposely avoiding talking about Harry.

At these words the doors opened and in stepped Draco Malfoy. Harry had never met the only son of Lucius Malfoy, but his Father had mentioned him. Draco slowly walked through the room as he seemed to be assessing the situation. Very cautious, Harry thought. Good, he'll last longer that way. Others, who had had a bit too much blind faith in the Eaters around them, had fallen quickly. Draco had the same light blond hair as his father, and the same angular face. But Harry had to admit that Malfoy Jr. was far more beautiful- eeh, handsome, than his father.

When Draco reached the centre of the room he turned to where the Dark Lord was standing. Harry noticed the moment Draco realised Harry was standing next to the Dark Lord. His eyes widened slightly and his body stiffened. Then he remembered himself and kneeled in front of his soon to be Lord.

The Dark Lord's lips twitched ever so slightly before slowly taking a few steps forward, Harry remaining behind, and stood before Draco. Then Draco did something which shocked Harry; instead of looking down on the floor, as most would, he looked right up at the Dark Lord, without any visible fear. At this the Dark Lord simply smirked.

"Rise." The Dark Lord's voice was cold, sending a chill down Draco's spine. Draco rose elegantly from the floor.

The Dark Lord gestured to Draco's arm and the young man swiftly undid his cuff to reveal flawless skin.

"Are you ready to take my Mark, and serve me with your life, Draco?"

"I am, my Lord. It will be the greatest honour ever given", Draco answered, his voice never wavering.

The Dark Lord lowered his wand and placed the tip on the inside of Draco's arm.

"Do you, Draco Abraxas Malfoy, first and only son of Lucius Armand Malfoy, swear your loyalty and life to this cause, and to never betray me or my secrets?"

"I do."

At those words the Dark Lord uttered "Morsmordre" and the wand lit up with a searing green light. Draco screamed, his knees buckling, but the spell not letting him fall, as the Dark Mark was seared onto his forearm. Then the green light vanished, and Draco sunk to the floor. Where the wand had been moments earlier there could now be seen a newly shaped mark, standing up slightly from the rest of the skin, the snake in the skull looking almost alive. Harry found his eyes being fixed on the mark. Then a hand reached out to pull the sleeve of the shirt down. Draco seemed to have recovered from the pain. Harry could understand him. The agony when having that kind of mark placed was excruciating.

Draco rose from the floor, absently rubbing his arm where his new mark was placed. Then he bowed his head to his new master.

The Dark Lord gave him a slight nod in return before turning around and walking back to where he had stood before the branding. _Your moment has come, my son_, Harry heard in his mind. _Many of them are wondering, and some even wish to challenge you. Change their minds, won't you? _The first time this had happened Harry had been thoroughly freaked out. He had been eleven years old and had gotten lost in the Manor's dungeon. But he had soon found out that his Father didn't resort to this method often.

At his Father's words Harry stepped forward a bit. Then the Dark Lord clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention, as if they weren't already staring.

"My dear friends. By now I would think you are all quite curious as to why I have someone with me today. As you may recall an incident occurred fifteen years ago, one I didn't walk away unscathed from. This caused me to go into hiding for all of two years. And I regret to say many of you, my loyal friends, along with the Light side, thought I had perished."

"My Lord we never-" "We never meant to-" "There wasn't the merest whisper-" All the Death Eaters, with the exception of the Inner Circle, started to fall to their knees, grovel and apologise.

"Silence", the Dark Lord hissed. Everyone immediately obeyed.

"You might remember that I set out to kill someone that fateful night. And I trust you all remember his name." At this everyone in the room nodded. Of course, they would never forget. _Harry Potter._

"That night fifteen years ago something happened. Something I was not ready for, or even knew could happen. The boy survived, even after his parents had fallen." At this came murmurs and whispers. Then a voice spoke up: "What happened to the boy? It was told he was never found."

Harry could sense his Father's satisfaction at this question. They were playing right into his hands.

"Well what do you think happened, Rowle?" the Dark Lord answered. The man who had asked the question, Rowle, frowned and Harry recognised his cue. He stepped forward, in front of his Father. Several people gasped. Harry could hear Bellatrix Lestrange snickering in the background. She was one of the few who had known about him.

"I would've expected more of you to understand by now. I took him in. I raised him as my ally instead of letting him be raised to destroy me."

At his Father's words Harry grinned. Several of the Death Eaters froze on the spot, others took a step back. He knew what they were seeing wasn't the childish grin of a young boy, but a bone freezing grimace that would make anyone shy away. But not everyone.

"Really? You expect us to believe he is not an enemy? That he would actually _kill_ someone to save himself? He who was supposed to be the Saviour of the Light?" The one who had spoken was a low-ranked Death Eater. He gave a short laugh, stepped forward and drew his wand. As soon as his hand had twitched to retrieve it Harry's was in his hand and held at the man's throat. He had moved quicker than anyone had seen.

"You really shouldn't have done that", Harry said in a low, dark voice, that only the ones closest could hear. The man gripped Harry's arm and threw him off. Harry laughed darkly as he and the Death Eater began circling each other. The Death Eater snapped his wand and sent the first hex flying. Harry dodged and sent his own hex toward his opponent. The Death Eater was clearly not skilled in duelling, as the hex hit him square in the stomach and he sank to the floor with a scream. In a flash Harry was standing above him, wand pointed at the Death Eater's face.

"I am no child", he said in a tone that carried across the room. "You would all do well to remember that." He then slashed his wand and the throat of the man below him was ripped to shreds. Harry stepped back as the gurgling sounds of the dying man quieted. He returned to his Father's side.

"You are dismissed", the Dark Lord said to the room. "Lucius, I wish to see you in my study." It was not a request.


	3. Chapter 3

**See disclaimer in chapter 1**

**Chapter 2**

Harry entered the study and found his Father sitting by this desk, his dark hair shining in the fire-light from the candles. He walked up to his Father and sat down in a chair opposite him. Voldemort looked up and smiled faintly at him. Harry smiled back.

"You did well", his Father said.

"Thank you Father", Harry replied. He held on a second longer and then he cracked. He started laughing.

"Harry!" his Father scolded, his tone serious.

"I apologise Father, but I must say I am quite surprised. Was that really one of your own Death Eaters?" Harry asked. He'd stopped laughing at his Father's reprimand but there was still mirth in his eyes. His Father sighed.

"He only took the Mark to repay a debt. He was rarely let in on anything, did shit jobs no one else wanted. The only reason he was in on today's meeting was because they're all duty-bound to witness a Branding, unless I say different."

Harry chuckled but could still not fathom why his Father would Brand someone so… Ignorant. Stupid even. Had it been him he would've made sure the man knew his place enough to not speak out of turn. And should the man disobey Harry could think of several different ways to tighten his tongue in the future.

Voldemort considered his son. It was not often he saw any emotion in those green eyes. He supposed he had himself to blame. Harry was always cautious with expressing his feelings, even subtly.

"I don't expect you to understand Harry. But someone like him makes it so no one forgets. These are hard times. Soon it's time for you to fight alongside me, but until then I want to be cautious, I can't risk just anyone for a raid in Diagon Alley."

Harry looked out the window behind his Father's desk.

"Harry."

He looked up at the sound of his name. His Father was looking at him with a meaningful look.

"The time will come." his Father said.

Harry sighed. His Father was right of course.

"So, what now?" Harry asked.

"Now…" Voldemort said, pausing. "Now I need you to take care of our… guest."

Harry grinned.

Lucius approached the Dark Lord's study. He wasn't quite sure why the Dark Lord had summoned him, though he knew he couldn't refuse if he valued his magic. He raised his hand and knocked on the dark wooden door.

"Enter."

Lucius entered the study to find the Dark Lord sitting behind his desk. As Lucius stepped through the door he met Harry, as he was leaving the study. Lucius stared at the boy. He was tall and lanky, but lean. His skin was pale, his hair was raven black and stood out in all directions. But the most startling, and frankly, frightening, aspect in the boy's appearance was his face; chiseled and beautiful, but devoid of all emotion, and the piercing green eyes were hard and cold.

When Harry had closed the door behind him the Dark Lord turned away from the fire and took a step toward Lucius.

"Lucius."

"My Lord." Lucius bowed and repressed a slight shiver. The power the Dark Lord carried was almost tangible in the air around him.

"I'm leaving the Manor for a few days", the Dark Lord said. "And Harry will be in charge while I'm away. Harry won't have any trouble, should he find himself facing an unconvinced Death Eater, but I would rather not find a mutilated corpse in my home when I return. Harry never did fancy cleaning up a mess…" the Dark Lord trailed off. "Anyway, if you could make sure there are no unnecessary deaths I would be very grateful."

"Of course my Lord", Lucius answered. He new better than to ask where his Lord was going. But he still opened his mouth, wanting to ask something else, but knowing it was not his place. The Dark Lord noticed this.

"What is it, Lucius?"

Being asked in such a direct way, Lucius had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Well, I was wondering, my Lord, about Draco's task…" As Lucius had predicted, the Dark Lord didn't answer but instead looked at him with those piercing red eyes, before waving his hand, dismissing Lucius. Lucius stood up, gave a small bow and then left the room.

Harry had left his Father's office with a satisfied feeling. He had done well, and he knew it. He walked down the hallway to the entrance hall. When he entered he saw Draco Malfoy standing there, talking to Bellatrix. Harry approached and caught the end of their conversation:

"… finally received your Mark, Draco" Bella said before looking to where Harry was standing a few feet away.

"Harry, darling", Bella said and stepped up to place a kiss on his cheek.

"Hello, Bella", Harry answered and smiled at her and placed a hand on her cheek. Then he stepped forward and extended a hand to Draco.

"And hello to you, Draco."

"Hello…" Draco didn't finish, uncertain how to address the son of his Lord.

"You can call me Harry", Harry said in an amused voice.

"Harry, then", Draco said and smirked. Draco really was stunning, Harry thought. His robes were perfectly tailored to his body, and they revealed a lithe, muscled body. Harry's gaze returned to Draco's face to find the blond staring at him with curious eyes. Harry felt a smirk tug on his lips and turned back to Bella.

"Bella, dear", he said in a smooth voice. "I have some business to take care of in the dungeon so you will have to excuse me." He could see the affect his voice had on her. A barely noticeable shiver ran through her body. She was as receptive to him as she was his Father.

"Why of course, Harry", she answered and left the entrance hall. Draco stayed where he was, watching her leave. Harry turned to him again.

"Well, come on then", he said. Draco looked at him questioningly.

"My Father has a guest over and he would like me to see to him. You are welcome to join." A moment passed and then Draco smirked.

"Well alright then", Draco said and followed as Harry passed him and walked over to a staircase leading down to the dungeon beneath the Manor.

Harry slowly approached the cell holding their "guest". He looked through the bars in disgust at the man standing there defiantly. One of his Father's Eaters had captured him just yesterday and Voldemort was eager to find out what someone from the Order of the Phoenix could tell him. It was not every day one had the opportunity to feast on the legendary Albus Dumbledore's secrets.

Harry stepped forward and unlocked the cell with a tap of his wand. He gestured for Draco to go first and then joined him inside before shutting the cell door.

"So you see Draco", Harry began. "Our guest needs a bit of…. persuasion… to tell me what I want to know. Thus far he has been very reluctant toward others, but I'm confident we can achieve a better result. What do you think?" Harry turned his head to the blond and to his satisfaction he saw a grin beginning to spread across the aristocratic features of the other man.

"Why I don't know Harry", Draco said. "We'll just have to see, won't we?"


	4. Chapter 4

**See disclaimer in chapter 1**

_Cursive - parseltongue_

**Chapter 3**

The man they were…. interrogating… was strapped to a hard wooden table, bound with magic, barely able to move. He had cuts and bruises all over his face and he was bleeding from his left leg, but he hadn't given them anything yet, not even his name. What couldn't be seen was the pain in the man's muscles from a few rounds of the Cruciatus Curse, and possibly a few broken ribs. Harry hadn't expected anything to be honest, they hadn't been at it for more than a couple of hours.

"I don't know what more we can try Draco", Harry said, faking an exasperated voice and leaning against the wall. "We've been at it for ages, I don't think he's going to crack anytime soon."

"I think you're right, he won't tell us anything", Draco agreed and had to turn away to hide a smirk. Harry pretended to think before he stood straight once again and started making strange hissing noises. The man's head snapped up from the table and stared, terrified, at Harry.

_"Come to me Nagini, I have a surprise for you."_ It didn't take long before Harry heard the big snake answer.

_"Dinner?"_

_"All in good time, sweet one. I need some help first." _Harry smirked as the giant snake came gliding into the cell, slowly winding up his leg to come to a rest around his shoulders, Harry stroking her head.

_"Try to keep him alive, for now"_, Harry asked her as she began sliding down again. The man on the table started tugging and pulling to get free and escape from the Nagini, who was now gliding up his leg, but the magical bonds held.

"Now, if you wish to keep some valuable assets I suggest you start talking. Why don't we start with your name?" Harry said in a conversational tone. The man started screaming and thrashing violently as Nagini kept moving up his body.

"Well?" Draco said, smirking when the man's face went white as Nagini stopped at his crotch.

_"Nagini…"_ Harry warned, though he was fairly amused. She really did have a sense of humour at times.

"NO! Make it stop!" the man screamed, his voice cracking at the strain. Nagini opened her mouth, fangs shining with venom. The man's eyes widened even more and just as Nagini was about to take his jewels to their grave he gave in.

"BILL!"

"Bill…. What?"

"Weasley! Bill Weasley!"

"Are you a member of the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Yes!" Tears were streaming down the man's face. Nagini didn't move a muscle.

"Now, that wasn't too hard, was it?" Harry said. Finally, the man had cracked.

_"That will be all, Nagini"_, he said and the snake slithered out of the dungeon.

"Now, Draco." Harry turned to the blond with an inquiring look. "Shall we continue?"

Draco grinned. Harry stepped forward and released the man from the bonds. Even after the hits and the Cruciatus the man was fast. He flew up from the table and darted to the door, shoving Harry at the same time. Harry cursed loudly as he straightened and started after the prisoner. He left the cell to see the man's feet disappearing up the stairs. Harry dashed after with Draco right behind him. At the top of the stairs the man was struggling with the door and Harry's hex hit him square in the back. The man fell and tumbled down the stairs. Looking down at the poor excuse for a wizard, Harry gripped the man's hair and dragged him back to the cell. Still dazed after the tumble, the man didn't realise he was in chains, on the floor in his cell, until he tried raising an arm to touch his forehead.

"You were never going to get through that door", Harry said, to draw the man's attention back to him. "I was simply curious as to what you would try. Not trained in wandless magic then?" The man glared at him. Harry chuckled and crouched down before the man. Then he lifted his hand to the man's chest and suddenly the man was writhing on the floor, unable to make a sound as fire sped through his chest.

"Unfortunately for you, I am", Harry said seriously, all amusement gone. "Don't try to escape again, or this will seem like a blessing."

Draco stared at Harry, whom he had just met and barely heard a whisper of before tonight. The raven-haired man was dangerous, there was no denying it. He could make a man writhe in pain by simply touching him. But what astounded him most was not the raw power emanating from the man before him, but the way he transformed. He was lethal. He had been serious in front of the Death Eaters.

Harry removed his hand and the man sagged, unable to move.

"Now", Harry said, his voice low. "What is Dumbledore planning?"

The man just lay there, not saying a thing. Harry raised his hand again, this time as a warning. The man barely flinched. Without hesitation Harry's hand went to the man's head. This time, the man did scream, his head feeling like it was burning, getting pounded by a sledgehammer and compressed to the brink of cracking, all at the same time. After about half a minute Harry twitched and drew his hand back in shock. He had felt a presence in the back of his mind, an old, powerful presence, seemingly intent on exploring his mind. Deciding to ignore the incident until a later time, Harry raised a brow, silently asking the question again as the man looked up. After a few seconds the man spoke.

"He's…" his voice was low, barely loud enough to hear. "He's searching for something. I don't know what, no one does", he rushed to say when Harry's hand twitched. "He's always leaving to go on long trips, but never tells anyone where he's going."

Harry sat back and closed his eyes. Dumbledore knew then. Or suspected, at least. Harry looked back at the man.

"I have some more questions, if you would be kind enough to answer them." Harry stood up to walk around the cell.

"Aside from what you just told me, what is he planning for the Order?" The man kept quiet long enough for Harry to turn back to face him, then he said:

"They're raising the security at Hogwarts. Not just the ministry, Order members are reinforcing the wards around the area." Harry sighed. The man didn't seem to know much. Of course, Harry could search his mind, but he doubted he would find anything of use.

"Are you married, Bill?" he asked suddenly. The man on the floor suddenly stiffened. "Oh, look at that! What's her name?" The man's face closed up, he was not going to let this Harry harm his love.

"Draco?" The blond smirked.

"If I'm not mistaken, her name is Fleur Delacour, a part-veela from France currently working at Gringotts. Their engagement was announced in the Prophet."

Harry grinned at the other man. He sure was proving his worth.

"NO! Don't hurt her! I will kill you if you even come close to her!"

"And just how, Mr. Weasley, do you think you'll manage that?" Harry asked. Then he looked at Draco again.

"Do you want to learn? I can show you how to do it." Draco looked at Harry's hand, the one he had used to torture the Weasel on the floor. Then he looked at Harry and gave a minute nod. Harry stepped forward and took Draco's hand in his.

"Have you ever done wandless magic before?"

"Yes."

"So you understand the principle?"

"Of course." Harry was pleased with the answer and turned Draco toward the man on the floor. He and Draco crouched on the floor and Harry placed Draco's hand on the man's chest.

"What do I do?" Draco asked, excitement clear in his voice.

"The goal is to create a pain by using just your mind, channelling it into him", Harry explained. Draco reared back in shock. He had expected a spell, hex or curse. He had not expected something like this. He had only heard rumours about this kind of magic and from what he knew it was rarely used. His hand trembled, but not from fear. Suddenly, he could feel something pushing against his mind. Before he had a chance to strengthen his Occlumency shields, Harry whispered in his ear

"Relax." And so he did. He could feel Harry enter his mind, not searching for anything, but guiding him. He reached for his magic, could feel the, slightly shaky, grip, on it and suddenly Harry was there, telling him to not be scared, that it was the safest place he could be. Remembering his task, Draco thought of the worst pain he could imagine.

Suddenly, it flared to life in his own chest. Scared now, he tried letting go of his magic to make the pain go away. "_Channel it"_, he heard a voice whisper in his mind. Draco focused on making the pain travel from him, into the man on the floor. Suddenly, the dungeon was filled with screams. Draco opened his eyes, not realising they had been closed. He could feel a sense of satisfaction spread through his body as he upped the amp on the pain and the man started thrashing. After a few seconds the man's body fell still. He was dead.


	5. Chapter 5

**See disclaimer in chapter 1**

_Cursive - flashback_

_Normal in cursive text - parseltongue_

**Chapter 4**

Harry watched, amazed, as the man's corpse slid down the wall and landed with a thump on the floor. He'd not been sure whether Draco would be able to perform this particular bit of magic. Having studied magical cores and soulmagic for years Harry had mastered quite a few tricks. What he had done to the, now dead, man, he had thought of himself. He had read about other wizards trying similar things, but they never managed, being too afraid of getting hurt, which was a very big possibility.

He stood again, Draco doing the same, and turned to the door of the cell.

"Wait!" Draco called. Harry stopped and twisted to face the blond.

"Yes?"

"What did I just do?" Draco's eyes were wide, but there was not a hint of fear or disgust at what he had done. Harry stood silent for a moment.

"I have to go see my Father", he said. "And so do you." With that, he left the dungeon and walked back up the stairs. It was not the time to discuss this with Draco, he needed to think for a while, possibly talk to his Father.

As he was walking through the hallway, back to his Father's study, Draco following him, he called out to Nagini, telling her dinner was served. He could sense her satisfaction as she slithered through the Manor, down to the dungeon cell where the corpse was awaiting her hungry mouth.

Harry stopped outside the door to the office, checking his suit to make sure it wasn't soiled with blood or grime from the torture. Finding it spotless, he knocked gently on the door before entering, Draco still close behind. His Father was sat in one of the two armchairs by the fire reading one of the many book that filled the shelves along the walls of the study. At Harry's entrance he looked up from the thick tome.

Harry stepped forward, giving a slight bow before turning to Draco, who had knelt on the floor. This got Harry wondering. Draco had seemed very secure about himself during the interrogation, but now he seemed uncertain. Harry assumed Lucius would've instructed Draco in how to behave when in the presence of his Lord, but it was clear Draco was scared to insult him with a poor choice of words. The Dark Lord took no notice of his obvious discomfort, but gestured for him to rise and step forward.

"I take it he did well?" he asked Harry, who again thought back to the scene in the dungeon. Draco had certainly done an outstanding job, but the details were of the sort Harry wanted to discuss in private.

"Well his skills certainly aren't lacking", Harry answered, his tone light, but his Father still shot a sharp glare at him. Then he looked back at Draco.

"I am pleased to hear that. This situation couldn't be more precarious. You will need to prove your worth, Draco." At these words the Dark Lord rose from his armchair to stride across the room. He stopped by the window.

"The task I have set aside for you will, should you succeed, secure you a place in my ranks. I expect you to step out of Lucius's shadow, Draco, make your own name and prove I have not been wrong to Mark you."

Harry looked over at Draco. This, in itself, was a test, he knew. He just hoped the new Death Eater facing his Father realised this too, or the consequences could be dire. Draco raised his head.

"My Lord, nothing would be a greater honour than to get a chance to prove my worth and earn my place amongst the Death Eaters."

Harry was surprised at the sincerity in Draco's voice. He really meant it, it wasn't mere grovelling to get on the Dark Lord's good side. When Draco had finished speaking Voldemort turned around, his cold face not revealing a single thing.

"Your task, Draco, is to kill Albus Dumbledore."

After Draco had left Harry turned his Father.

"Our guest didn't have much to tell me", he began. "His name was Bill Weasley, he was a member of the Order, as you suspected. He had little information to give about the Order's plans, the most he could tell me was that the security at Hogwarts is now stricter." He paused to see his Father's reaction. Voldemort hadn't moved his gaze from the window.

"What about the old fool? Dumbledore?"

Harry could feel his Father's temper beginning to rise but he pushed forward, knowing silence would not help in the least.

"Dumbledore isn't telling anyone what he's doing. He's been taking long trips to no one knows where, doing no one knows what." Harry fell silent. He studied his Father in the dancing light of the fire.

"Are they safe, Father?" Voldemort looked around at the sixteen-year old he considered a son. He was slightly stunned to see the deep concern in the green eyes. Even after taking his's parents and his home from him, Harry didn't blame him. He had never tried to defy him, or even given any notion he wanted to. Harry had always been loyal to him, and fiercely so.

The Dark Lord turned his eyes back to the window before saying, honestly:

"I don't know, Harry." He had to extend his journey, check on all of them before he could return. "I don't know."

Harry knew what this meant. The manor would be an eerily empty place for a while now. No Death Eaters would be allowed while his Father was gone.

"There's something else…" Harry said carefully. "It's about Draco." His Father turned to face him, raising an eyebrow in question.

"He's much more powerful than a wizard his age should be. He…. He performed soulmagic." Voldemorts eyes narrowed.

"And how was he able to do this?"

"I showed him. I never imagined he would be able to, but as soon as he started… He just did it. I barely had to nudge him in the right direction." Harry fell silent as he watched his Father. "He'll have to be trained, won't he?" he asked.

"Indeed he will", Voldemort answered gravelly.

Harry left the study with the feeling that a lot of things were about to change, and he wasn't sure whether it was for the better or the worse. In the dungeon, he had thought he would have to really push Draco for him to be able to do what he did. Draco's success had been a surprise to them both. The new Death Eater was really sticking to Harry's thoughts in a way he was not familiar with. Ever since his early childhood he had meditated, practised to keep his mind clear. This had not only made him a skilled Legilimens, as well as Occlumens, but also allowed him to process a situation quickly, seeing small details that would evade the eye of a lower being. That was why it felt… unusual… to have something stuck, when usually his thoughts followed every command he gave them. Harry's slow tread through the Manor's halls allowed him a moment of calm, and gave him the opportunity to think back to his childhood, what it had been like being raised by snakes, both walking and slithering.

_Harry moved his tiny, chubby hands over the carpeted floor in the living room. He could feel Nagini behind him, slithering slowly around, making sure he wouldn't get hurt. Harry liked Nagini. She was nice to him and kept him company when his Father (at least that's what Nagini had told Harry the tall man was) was away, which, to Harry, felt like a lot. At the moment he was trying to move the things sticking out just below his neck. Nagini called them arms._

"Nagin, you don' have ams", _Harry had said to the snake._

"No, I don't, little one",_ she had answered._

"But why?"

"Because we are different", _was all Nagini had said._

_Harry tried to move his… arms… again, but it was difficult. He much preferred using his back and legs to shove his body forward. Or better yet, rolling. Yes, he loved rolling around. It had happened quite a few times that he fell down stairs, and the tall man had not been happy when he came rushing after hearing the telltale sound of a small body hitting the steps repeatedly. After a while the tall man had had enough, and had used a pale stick to make sure Harry stopped rolling as soon as he neared a staircase._

_When Harry was older and had been forced to accept the fact that he was not like Nagini (the realisation had made him cry and shake for several hours), and had started walking around on his legs, the tall man had started talking a strange, vulgar language with him, one he didn't understand at all. Then the man said, in words Harry understood, that he had to learn this language (English, he called it). Harry didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit, especially since he couldn't speak it with Nagini. But he learned, and soon he spoke it fluently, though with an accent which took years for him to get rid of._

When Harry returned to the present he found himself standing outside his quarters. He rolled his shoulders and opened the door. He was exhausted. He shucked his jacket and left it for the house elves to clean. It wasn't dirty, but he rarely wore the same jacket twice without it being washed. He went in to the bathroom and looked at his face in the mirror. When he was younger his Father had noticed that Harry couldn't quite see properly. Harry had immediately become afraid that he might need glasses, but his Father had put his mind at ease; he had simply waved his wand and in the blink of an eye Harry could see everything.

Now he was looking at his pale face, frowning at the dark rings under his eyes. _It's the magic_ he thought. _The magic took too much of my energy._ He had to be careful. Soulmagic usually didn't take this much energy, but something had been different this time and he didn't know what. And he didn't know if it was a sign of weakness or change to something stronger. Harry sighed and left the bathroom, and when his head hit the pillow he was already asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in so long, I've had a lot going on. Anyway, this chapter is shorter than usual, but I will post another one soon. Hopefully most of you found my new page and keep reading, love you guys, you are the best :)**

**Chapter 5**

Draco woke with a scream. He tugged at his chest where the remnants of his dream could still be felt. It was tugging, pulling. It felt like a hook had grabbed on to his very being and was dragging him to a big black hole. The dream had felt so real. Draco grabbed his wand from the nightstand and lit candles around the room. He rose from the bed and grabbed his robe. There was no way he would be able to fall asleep again. Never had a dream felt so real, stayed with him for so long after he woke up. And the tugging…. It had slowly left his chest but the memory of it still stuck in his mind, and a feeling of unease stayed with him, like it was just waiting to come back.

He sat down in front of the fire and closed his eyes. Draco had practised occlumency for many years, and had learned well. He was able to shield his mind from everyone around him. But he had never been able to enter someone else's mind. Draco had a feeling that the urge to keep himself safe was too strong, that someone might be able to read his mind if he stretched out too far. At the moment, however, that didn't matter. Now he focused on himself, calming down and centring himself. He needed to remember this dream, and go over it again, even though the very thought of reliving that pulling into emptiness scared him. He had never been scared of a dream before, but he had also never had one quite like this.

* * *

><p><em>"<em>_Listen…"_

Harry heard the whisper in his mind, felt it creeping, cold to the touch.

_"__Listen."_

He heard it again, this time the voice sounded clearer, as if it was getting closer. Suddenly something gripped his head hard, and he woke with a jolt. Harry sat up, holding his head in both hands. He had no idea what had happened, but he felt it would be incredibly stupid to ignore it. The feeling the dream had brought reminded him of something….

Unable to go back to sleep, Harry left the bed to get dressed, even though the first rays of sunlight had yet to hit the window of his room. While buttoning his shirt Harry realised something else was amiss. He could not feel the lingering presence of his Father's magic in the Manor. _So he has left then_. Having been raised by a Dark Lord who valued power and control more than almost anything, Harry had not been taught sentimentality. While he was fiercely loyal to Voldemort, it was not in his nature to miss or care about someone. So his Father's departure only brought Harry a sense of unease, knowing it would now be up to him to control the Death Eaters.

With that discouraging thought in mind Harry left his chambers. He had only just reached the entrance hall, when a group of low-rankers approached him. When they tried to step around him to go up the stairs Harry held out a hand.

"Just where do you think you're going?" he asked, his voice cold.

"We want to speak to the Dark Lord", one of them said. "Not that it's any of your business." It was Dolohov, a Death Eater known to cause more problems than he solved. Harry stared down at him.

"He is not available at the moment." Dolohov laughed.

"And who are you to tell us if we can see him or not?" Harry said nothing. "I didn't think so", muttered Dolohov, and made to push past Harry. In the blink of an eye, Dolohov was pushed up against the wall, Harry's wand at his throat.

"I said, he is not available", Harry whispered in his ear. Dolohov pushed hard against Harry and managed to get loose. The rest of the Death Eaters gathered in the hall had their wands trained on Harry. Harry grinned. _Oh Father, your followers really do have trust issues. _

The first hex to fly came from a man to Harry's left, a stunner. Harry ducked and sent the man crashing against the wall. The other Death Eaters stood completely still. Harry, though, didn't waste a second, but sent them all flying. The sound of their bodies hitting the floor echoed around the room. Harry stood completely still, shoulders shaking. This was not the plan. He did not doubt his ability to survive these low-lives, but he had hoped even they had enough trust in their Lord to not do something like this. Voldemort had declared Harry a trusted ally, which should be enough to make them all bow at his feet. This was wrong…

Harry turned when he heard a cough from one of the fallen Death Eaters. He approached him slowly and crouched down at his side. The man looked up at him with fear in his eyes.

"Why did you do this?" Harry asked. The man didn't answer. "Would you like for me to call Nagini?" The man's eyes widened at the threat.

"You do not belong here. You were born an enemy of the Great Lord, and you will always be just that." Harry's eyes narrowed.

"By doing this you have betrayed the Dark Lord's trust. _You _have become the enemy. Should I leave you to his mercy?" The man looked about ready to wet his pants in fright. "Or should I deal with you myself?" Harry slowly stood and raised his wand, pointing it at the man's face.

"Stop!"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for the long time between updates, got a lot going on. This chapter is longer than the last. Also, I'm a bit stumped on ideas, feel free to leave suggestions if you want :)

**Chapter 6**

"Why did you stop me?" Harry asked over his shoulder. He was standing in the dungeons, overlooking the Death Eaters who had betrayed him, now locked in cells. They were all still unconscious, but Harry longed for the moment they would wake up.

"I fear that killing them now would not work in your favour, my lord. It might provoke even more of them to rise against you." Harry turned to the blond Death Eater.

"Then what do I do to make them trust me, Lucius? I have rarely had dealings with the low-rankers in the past, so they are not familiar with me. They don't recognise my rank." Lucius lowered his head. He didn't say anything for a while.

"You do understand why the Dark Lord chose not to reveal who you really are, do you not?"

"Of course I do", Harry snapped, and started pacing in front of the cells. "But it really doesn't help me now. His departure cannot become known at the moment. He needs more time. And with Severus now at Hogwarts…" Harry paused, dragging a hand through his hair. "It's imperative that they know to take orders from me until he returns."

"I understand", said Lucius. He stepped forward. "I cannot tell you what to do, my lord. But I would advice you to gather them to a meeting, and explain the situation." Harry nodded. "Of course I would also advice you to summon Severus and have him by your side. They recognise him and know he will report to the Dark Lord." Harry nodded and turned to leave the dungeon. He had a lot to do it seemed.

_Severus,_

_Life here at the manor is not quite as I had hoped. As you know, my Father has left due to some new information concerning his… more prized possessions. He has also left the Death Eaters under my command, and although I've had no real trouble yet, they are not yielding to me as easily as I had hoped. They do not seem to recognise my rank. _

_My Father has chosen to not declare me his son to his subjects, fearing they will see it as a weakness. A man holds only power as long as he has followers, and unfortunately this applies as much to the Dark Lord as any other man, despite his considerable power. _

_I very recently had a run in with a few low-rankers, who, as I'm sure my Father predicted, did not want to accept that they were to take orders from me. I very nearly ended their petty lives, had it not been for your old friend Lucius' most timely appearance and, might I say, quite wise words. He advised me to summon all the Death Eaters to a meeting to clarify the situation, although how I am supposed to do that without revealing my Father's absence I haven't the faintest idea. _

_Severus, I am at a loss for what to do, and in desperate need of your council. You know I would not ask this of you had it not been of extreme importance that I succeed. I understand your situation with the old took is not ideal, but I ask you to arrive here at the manor as soon as you are able. _

_Best regards,_

_Harry_

Severus read the letter again. He could understand Harry wanting him at his side, but much like the young man, Severus had no idea how to approach the Death Eaters so they might accept Harry as a leader, at least not without revealing his true status as the Dark Lord's son. Nevertheless, he could not deny Harry's request. As for Dumbledore, he still seemed to believe Severus. He would not be a problem.

Harry brought his wand down to his left arm. As soon as the tip touched the skin it was like his blood caught fire. The burning of his mark brought him a sense of comfort. It was the true connection to his Father. Not four minutes later the Death Eater's started trickling in through the ball room door. They all looked around excitedly, expecting to see their dear Lord in the throne at the head of the table. Harry was standing in a corner, enclosed in the shadows, watching them look around in confusion. He stepped out of the darkness.

"Take a seat", he said. The Death Eaters all turned their heads as he stepped forward. All of them immediately looked suspicious, some even angry. Harry spotted Lucius at the back of the room.

"Malfoy", he called. The Death Eater was at his side in a few strides.

"My Lord."

"Has Severus arrived yet?" Harry's voice was controlled, but his eyes were scanning the room for his Father's most trusted.

"If he had he would be at your side already", the senior Malfoy said.

"Very well." Harry could not fathom what was keeping Severus, but this could not wait any longer. He had gotten Severus's reply a few days earlier, and the situation had become even more dire during that time. The Death Eaters were starting to feel like a tide rising and rising, trying to drown him. He had to take control, he had given his Father as much time as he could.

"I said, take a seat." His voice rang strong in the grand room. For a moment it seemed like they would not obey, but one by one they all sat down. Harry sat himself in the throne and looked over the table. The Death Eaters looked back.

"It has come to my understanding", Harry began. "That many of you are wondering why the Dark Lord has suddenly started refusing audiences, stopped calling you to his side to serve." A murmur started rising from the crowd gathered around the table. Harry raised his hand to silence them, but that only seemed to infuriate him even more. So, Harry felt it was time to call for reinforcements. Slowly, barely noticeable, he started hissing. The Death Eaters closest to him reared back in fear. Harry kept up the hissing until he heard an answer, and felt Nagini enter the room. The giant snake slid under the table, over people's feet. When she reached the throne she started sliding up the side to settle around Harry's shoulders, Harry raising his hand to stroke her head. By now the room had gone silent. The threat was obvious and efficient; they would not dare interrupt him again.

"As I was saying", Harry continued. "There have been some…. objections. Understandable. Who would trust the word of a young boy?" The glares intensified. "At the moment, however, you do not have a choice." The Death Eaters looked like they were going to start shouting any second. Nagini's head shot forward in a hiss. Harry continued to stroke her head.

"The Dark Lord is not in residence at the moment. I'm sure you are all curious to know his whereabouts, but know this; should any one of you ask, the consequences will be dire."

Suddenly the door to the ball room opened. Harry's head snapped up. At the door stood a bowing figure.

"My Lord", said Draco. He could feel the mocking glares the other Death Eaters were giving him, but he could not bring himself to care. He had seen them defy Harry time and time again. Many of them were just tossed around, but some were taken to the dungeon. Draco had shuddered when he found out one of the low-rankers had not returned. The night in the dungeon, the torture, still haunted him and he was not about to cross Harry on a whim, simply because the Dark Lord was not present. Over the last few days Draco had done all he could to stay out of the others' way. It felt like they were watching him, waiting for him to give them a reason to hex him.

Draco straightened from the bow and looked to Harry.

"Draco", he said "Join us. I was just informing these… people… about the changes around here." Draco went to sit at the end of the table, and when he had taken his seat Harry continued to speak.

"As I was saying, the Dark Lord is not in residence at the moment. But before he left he entrusted this manor to me." Harry watched as the meaning of his words sank in. As long as Voldemort was away, the Death Eaters were to answer to him. They did not like that one bit. Despite their fear of Nagini, they all rose from their seats and started shouting, some even drew their wands.

Suddenly, an earsplitting screech filled the room. The Death Eaters clutched their heads and started toppling, one by one falling to the floor. The young man, who claimed to be the new Lord of the manor, had stood from his seat and was now looking out over them with cold eyes. The screech didn't stop for several minutes, during which a few of the gathered actually lost consciousness, the pain in their heads becoming too much. When it finally did stop a chilling voice replaced it.

"Despite your repeated disloyalty, I'm going to give you all a piece of advice; do not cross me."


End file.
